Space probes as a research area encompasses the design, deployment, and scientific utilization of uncrewed spacecraft sent beyond Earth orbit to investigate planetary bodies, small Solar System objects, and the heliosphere, and increasingly to perform astrophysical observations from deep space. Research focuses on mission architecture, autonomous navigation and operations, radiation-hardened avionics, long-duration power systems (e.g., RTGs, advanced solar arrays), high-gain communications, and in situ and remote-sensing payloads optimized for extreme environments. The field integrates planetary science, space plasma physics, and instrumentation, emphasizing data acquisition strategies, sample return capabilities, and technology maturation for future interplanetary and interstellar exploration.
On March 1, NASA's Europa Clipper will streak just 550 miles (884 kilometers) above the surface of Mars for what's known as a gravity assist—a maneuver to bend the spacecraft's trajectory and position it for a critical leg ...
Space Exploration
Feb 25, 2025
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How can we explore Saturn's moon, Enceladus, to include its surface and subsurface ocean, with the goal of potentially discovering life as we know it? This is what a recent study presented at the American Geophysical Union ...
Astrobiology
Feb 25, 2025
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On Wednesday 26 February, a thermal imaging camera built by researchers at the University of Oxford's Department of Physics will blast off to the moon as part of NASA's Lunar Trailblazer mission. This aims to map sources ...
Space Exploration
Feb 24, 2025
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A Chinese rover that landed on Mars in 2021 detected evidence of underground beach deposits in an area thought to have once been the site of an ancient sea, providing further evidence that the planet long ago had a large ...
Astrobiology
Feb 24, 2025
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Before Apollo astronauts set foot upon the moon, much remained unknown about the lunar surface. While most scientists believed the moon had a solid surface that would support astronauts and their landing craft, a few believed ...
Space Exploration
Feb 20, 2025
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Research Fellow Dr. Babak Bakhit has encountered one of his most challenging projects to date—contributing to the European Space Agency's (ESA) JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) mission.
Space Exploration
Feb 19, 2025
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The European Space Agency (ESA) is ready to guide the ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter spacecraft through its closest encounter with Venus so far.
Space Exploration
Feb 18, 2025
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Perseverance's drives over the last few weeks have doubled back several times. Why such an unconventional route? Team scientists have been delighted to find new kinds of rocks that could be the oldest ever found on Mars and ...
Planetary Sciences
Feb 18, 2025
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Before arriving at the moon, the small satellite mission will use the gravity of the sun, Earth, and moon over several months to gradually line up for capture into lunar orbit.
Space Exploration
Feb 14, 2025
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Locomotion makes things move, and certain forms of locomotion make them move better than others. Those more effective types of locomotion change depending on the environment, which is even more true for space exploration. ...
Space Exploration
Feb 12, 2025
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